Farmers protest all over TN for Cauvery, thousands arrested

Thousands of farmers in Cauvery delta districts in Tamil Nadu picketed road and rail traffic at various places, demanding that Karnataka release water from its dams for long-term samba paddy crop.

Farmers associations called for a state-wide protest on Tuesday calling on the state and Central governments to facilitate release of water from the Cauvery River for cultivation of Samba crops.

Apart from rail and road roko, the farmers called for participation from the public. The protesters condemned Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s statement that they cannot release water as the farmers in Karnataka are facing a severe water shortage.

His statement last week had added that the state would explain the matter before the Supreme Court.

The farmers’ stir comes days after Tamil Nadu government moved the Supreme Court, seeking realese of 50 tmc ft of water from Karnataka to meet its irrigation demands after it expressed its inability to release water as per the Cauvery water dispute tribunal’s final award, citing low storage in its dams.

Meanwhile in Karnataka, screening of Tamil film ‘Bhayam Oru Payanam’ was disrupted at a cinema hall in Mysure on Tuesday during a protest organised by State Sugarcane Growers Association and other pro-Kannada forums against Tamil Nadu’s stand on Cauvery water release.